Christopher Peter Meloni (born April 2, 1961) is an American actor. He is known for his television roles as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and as inmate Chris Keller on the HBO prison drama Oz. In June 2012, he returned to HBO, as the vampire Roman on the main cast of True Blood for the series' fifth season.

His well known films are Man of Steel, Wet Hot American Summer, 12 Monkeys, Runaway Bride, 42,
and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Biography

Meloni has been married to production designer (Doris) Sherman Meloni (née Williams) since July 1, 1995, and they have two children, daughter Sophia Eva Meloni (b. March 23, 2001), and son Dante Meloni (b. January 2, 2004). Former Law & Order: SVU co-star Mariska Hargitay is the godmother to his daughter.

He has a Cubist-inspired representation of the crucifixion of Christ tattooed on his upper left arm, as well as a butterfly tattoo on his left upper thigh and a Chinese astrological chart of his family on his right lower leg. In 2007, Meloni was inducted into his high school's athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the undefeated 1978 football team, for which he was quarterback.

In 2011, Meloni stated he is in favor of the Human Rights Campaign's "New Yorkers for Marriage Equality" campaign on a video.

Meloni currently resides in Los Angeles in a home made famous on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In 2013, Meloni moved out of and attempted to sell his 60th floor New York apartment, but was unable to find a buyer and rented it out to a Saudi prince.

Best films